


Don't break my heart again

by LucyLegacies



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Hizzie childhood best friends until Hope breaks Lizzie's heart, Josie is a Hizzie warrior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:13:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23206027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucyLegacies/pseuds/LucyLegacies
Summary: "The truth is that she's been in love with Hope Mikaelson her whole life. Since they were 5 and she would give Hope the cookies that weren't broken. When they were 9 and she used to write her letters and dot her is with little hearts. When they were 13 and pinky promised that they would always be there for each other. When they were 15 and they shared their first kiss and when they were 18 and shared their last."Hope's a bartender in her own hotel, not that anyone knows it. Lizzie's the owner of a publishing company and everyone's afraid of her. Josie's tired of them denying their connection.I said before that I suck at summaries so...
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman
Comments: 79
Kudos: 142





	1. There we go again

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't hate it S2

Every year they would come back, sighed Hope in early tiredness. All of them. MG with his brain numbing _fun facts_ about bartendering. Rafael and his tortured soul demeanor. Josie's _not a little bit subtle_ way of hitting on Hope to annoy Lizzie. _Lizzie_. Hope groaned thinking about her. Lizzie with her eye rolling and practiced disdain. After all these years she had managed to make everyone think she's the coldest bitch on earth.

Every year they would come to the hotel for the convention. Raf was a photographer, journalist and a nosy son of a bitch that has been trying to make his work life a success by uncovering some deep dark secret on the twins. MG, on the other hand, was responsible for not letting any secret out. The twins... Hope had history with them. History that went way back when they were children. They were the only ones, besides Penelope, who was the manager of the hotel, that knew Hope was the owner. They were also the only ones that knew Hope _before._

She watched as the twins entered the bar. Hope saw Josie's eyes flashing with amusement at the sight of her and then looking at her sister, who was probably going to win an Oscar for her performance at _Ignoring Hope's Presence_ , her best work yet. Hope rolled her eyes. She knew that even though Lizzie seemed to not acknowledge her presence at all, she for sure had already studied Hope's clothes, body language and mood before Hope had even noticed her. She was _that much_ of a calculated bitch. No surprise that she was not only an editor to her sister's books but also the owner of the Saltzman Publishing.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Josie standing right in front of her.

"Thinking about me, Hope?" Said Josie all sweet and flirty smile. Hope played along as she always did.

"Always, Josie. And you? Been thinking about me lately too?" Said Hope smirking and starting to make Josie's favorite drink; making sure to look around to see if Lizzie was close.

"She's at the table." Said Josie way too observant to Hope's likes.

Hope politely ignored Josie's remark, which only made her laugh.

"Here's your drink, Josie. You can walk away now." Said Hope with a fake smile.

"One day, Hope, we'll all sit and laugh about how stupid you were." She then passed a fifty dollar bill to Hope, her hand holding Hope's a little bit longer than necessary. When Hope looked up she saw Lizzie watching the interaction. When Hope turned her gaze to Josie, she saw her smirking and blinking at her. Hope only groaned. The Saltzman Twins were hell bent on killing her slowly for completely different reasons.

Hope braced herself for the next two weeks of convention. She had a feeling that this year would be specially hard on her.

* * *

Lizzie Saltzman would sometimes think about a life without her twin sister. Most of the times, thought, she would come to the conclusion that her sister was the best thing ir her life. This was not one of those times. Today, she wanted to kill that little minx. Lizzie took a deep breath. She didn't really wanted to kill her. More like tickle her until she begged for forgiveness. Every year the authors' convention happened at this damned hotel. Lizzie had tried to change it but as much influence as she has, the only answer she'd get every time would be _Of course we'll never change the place. The convention has been happening in the hotel for the past 30 years. Get over it._ Then the person would never eat or wear or use anything Lizzie would give as a gift, too afraid that it was poisoned. Really, all of them still believed that she was responsible for killing Landon Kirby, even though the police had said it was a suicide. _Boohoo, get over it yourselves_. Unfortunately, they would never change the location so Lizzie would have to sit through it at Hope Mikaelson's hotel every year.

At least it's only two weeks. Not that this thought did anything to calm her heart. She didn't think medication would either. The truth is that she's been in love with Hope Mikaelson her whole life. Since they were 5 and she would give Hope the cookies that weren't broken. When they were 9 and she used to write her letters and dot her _is_ with little hearts. When they were 13 and pinky promised that they would always be there for each other. When they were 15 and they shared their first kiss and when they were 18 and shared their last.

Lizzie tried to move on. She dated people. She tried, at least. Contrary to what people thought of her, she's actually a romantic and she wants children someday, not just to eat them at breakfast like that horrific piece of shit magazine said. But she's not good at letting people in so they would always be locked outside thinking she was the one to close the door, never knowing that it was an _one way only_ type of entrance and she was actually locked inside.

"Thinking about Hope?" Her annoying sister asked.

"Shut up, Josette, or I will delay your next book editing."

"As if. I'm both the best-selling and your sister." She said with confidence. Then, in a lower voice. "Differently from the rest of the world, I don't believe you're the bogey-woman."

"Okay, Josie, 30 minutes in this hellhole of a bar. We can go back to our rooms now. I guess Mr Waithe and the other pigs took enough pics of us for today." Said Lizzie what caused Josie to pout.

"I wanted to stay more."

"If you want to, by all means, stay. I'm leaving." Said Lizzie getting up. When she was leaving Josie held her wrist.

"You're not going to say hello to _her?"_ The way her sister said _her_ made Lizzie want to lay down and scream.

"No" Said Lizzie walking away. She went to her room and took a shower and started to read.

When she was about to finish the third chapter of the book she was reviewing right now, she heard a knock on the door. When she opened _she_ was there.

"Liz..." It was Hope.

"What the hell are you doing here, Hope Mikaelson?"

"I'm in trouble, Liz. I need your help."

And how could Lizzie say no when the love of her life asked her something, anything?

"What do you need?" Lizzie could feel Hope's nervousness. She wasn't even looking in Lizzie's eyes.

"I need you to marry me."


	2. Sorry for giving up on us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Lizzie talk about Hope's bold proposition. Josie gives Hope a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got more angsty that I wished to be writing this chapter after last episode.

"Of all the things you could ask..." Said Lizzie recovering from the surprise and Hope could see her building up all those walls she first saw years ago when Hope crushed her heart. Lizzie grabbed her wrist and pushed her inside the room. "Really, it could be money, help to cover a crime. God, you could even ask me for a trustworthy hitman to finish someone. I would give you anything, not because I somehow still care about you, I'm not going to pretend I don't because we're way pass that, but for the simple fact that I want you as away from me as possible so you'll never break my heart again. But marrying you? That's a _no_ no."

Hope watched Lizzie ranting and all she wanted to do was scream, growl and stomp at her and ask her to shut up. She was tired. She didn’t want any of this, she only wanted Lizzie to hug her and tell her everything would be okay like she had done so many years ago when Hope was broken in pieces.

"Lizzie, I wouldn't be asking this if I didn't have-"

"What? A good reason? I believe _you believe_ you have a very good reason because no way you would ask me this knowing what my answer would be."

"Lizzie-"

"No, Hope. You broke my heart. You left me after you promised to be there. You left me after you promised me _always and forever_." Lizzie looked right into her eyes. "I was broken. My mom and dad had died, and Josie was in the hospital in coma. The only thing that I wanted was for you to say that everything would be okay. I would've believed in you. I always believed in you."

Hope knew how Lizzie felt. She also hated herself for doing that. But she had no other option. It was either that or... Hope didn't want to think of the alternative, not now when her worst nightmare had returned.

"Let me talk for a minute and if you decide not to help me I'll walk away, and you'll never see me again. I promise."

"I don't believe in your promises anymore." Over years Lizzie had said some very bad things to her when she wasn’t pretending Hope didn't existed but nothing ever hit her so much as Lizzie saying that Hope's promises didn't hold weight to her anymore. Hope wanted to walk away and do the only thing that would stop all this mess at once, but she knew that as much as she was hurting Lizzie right now, if she did the other thing she would hurt her even more. So, she played again with Lizzie's feelings saying the only thing that she knew would convince her.

"If you don't marry me, I'll die."

"Okay" Scoffed Lizzie dismissing Hope. But then she looked into Hope's eyes and she saw the truth. Hope was really going to die. "Why?" Asked Lizzie horrified.

"I can't tell you and I know that you don't trust me anymore but I promise that if that’s what you want, this will be the last promise I will ever make to you." Hope saw Lizzie fighting her emotions; fighting the urge to ask more, to cry and to run away. She hated to see Lizzie doing this. She remembered Lizzie _before_ too. She was carefree and giving and so open. Anyone could always tell if she was happy or angry or sad. Then she had her first episode when she was thirteen and Hope saw her changing right in front of her. Suddenly, Lizzie didn’t tell when she wanted something and she started hiding things from Hope. Hope still remembered that spring break when they had their first fight and Caroline took Lizzie away to get help. She was better when she got back but it was like having to get to know her all over again. Hope had to learn to _speak Lizzie_ again. It took them months to be comfortable enough to have a sleepover, to hold hands and pinky promise. But when Lizzie was finally ready Hope promised her to never leave her, she knew Lizzie well enough to know she was worried about it, so she promised _always and forever_ and Lizzie believed her because she knew _that_ was a promise the Mikaelsons never did lightly. And then Hope broke that promise. She could see Lizzie getting to this conclusion in her mind. Funny that after all these years of only seeing Lizzie from distance or in a magazine cover saying something blatantly fake like _Elizabeth Saltzman suspect of killing Landon Kirby_ or _Are they really sisters? See page 12 for proofs that the sweet Josette Saltzman and the devil herself Elizabeth Saltzman are not twins at all._ Hope still knew Lizzie and that only served the purpose of hurting both of them more because Hope knew Lizzie was good enough that she would marry Hope without questions if it meant Hope would be okay. Hope added that to the list of _things she hates about herself._ "I will promise you this: it will only be for a couple of weeks until I can legally finish what I need and then I'll be gone."

" _You’ll be gone_. What does that mean?"

"That I'll disappear and you’ll never have to see me again." Hope had to force the words out.

"I don’t want it." Hope’s heart; the part that managed to stay together during the years finally broke knowing what she had to say next. She looked her in the eyes and said it.

"I do." She heard Lizzie taking a deep breath and then turning around.

"I just always wanted you to be happy. If that’s what you need, I'll do it." Lizzie said, her back turned to Hope and Hope knew she was crying.

* * *

Lizzie turned around so Hope wouldn’t see her crying. She knew Hope would notice, though. They were too experienced on each other to understand emotions and fears without having to see it. That was the reason Lizzie resented Hope so much for leaving her: she knew Hope was hurting and didn’t want to abandon Lizzie. She tried going after Hope, even if her sister was in coma and her parents dead. She tried but _they didn’t let her._ She wiped the tears and turned around wondering if Hope knew that Lizzie fought with literally nails and teeth to go after Hope; that she almost died trying. She probably didn’t.

"What do you need me to do now?" Lizzie said watching Hope closely. Lizzie hated that look of self-hatred on her ex best friend’s face.

"I need you to pick Josie and MG and come with me to your house."

"Shouldn’t I be the one inviting you to _my house?"_ Said Lizzie sarcastically.

"We are getting married so what’s yours is also mine. Isn’t it how it goes?" Said Hope and for a second Lizzie forgot about heartbreak, death and the years that had passed and she was about to say something snarky and clever; something that would make Hope throw a pillow at her. Then she remembered that they were not those kids anymore. Lizzie thought that Hope also waited for a moment Lizzie’s comeback because her eyes sparked with that old flame Lizzie always loved. But after the moment was gone and Lizzie hadn’t said anything Hope’s eyes were empty again and she avoided Lizzie’s eyes.

"Please."

"Okay. I'll go get them and we can leave in 30 minutes." Hope nodded and Lizzie was almost leaving when she looked back at Hope and asked one more thing. "Did you mean it? Back when we were thirteen and you said that you’d always be there?" Lizzie knew the answer but she needed Hope to confirm it so she could be sure that what she was going to do next was the best decision.

"Lizzie…"

"It’s a simple _yes or no_ question, Hope." Lizzie felt the air pricking with electricity, waiting for her answer. Lizzie felt Hope’s side that _loved Lizzie and wanted to be with her_ fighting the other side that _also loved Lizzie but didn’t think_ _she deserved to be with her._ Lizzie was happy that both sides loved her, though, even if one of them was stupid. Lizzie’s heart stopped when she felt Hope’s decision made. She watched as Hope walked towards her and took her hand, proceeding to intertwine their pinkies together and then looking at Lizzie, all the walls down for just a moment that both lasted forever and less than one second; it was a whole life and yet came to an end too soon. But it was enough for Lizzie to decide what she would do next, so she nodded to Hope and left the room. She had a mission.

* * *

"Hope Mikaelson, what the hell did you do to convince my sister to marry you?" Said Josie bursting inside her sister’s room, where Hope was. Hope groaned. Of course Lizzie would leave her to deal with Josie.

"I asked her." Said Hope slowly, making sure to let the sarcasm evident.

"Well, that’s a valid answer, actually." Said Josie ignoring Hope’s snark. "She told me to come pick you up and her luggage. She’ll meet us in the lounge. The car’s already waiting to take us home." Said Josie already collecting Lizzie’s things and throwing it inside her bag. When she finished and checked the room for any forgotten items, she looked at Hope.

"Before we go, Hope, I have something for you. Consider it a wedding gift and a warning." Hope watched as Josie took a piece of paper out of her pocket. It was old and looked like it was folded too many times; someone clearly read that letter daily. "This is a little girl’s goodbye note when her parents died, her sister was in coma for the last 3 months and her best friend left her without an explanation. And it has your name on it." Josie gave her the note and Hope saw what was written in Lizzie’s handwriting:

**_TO HOPE MIKAELSON_ **

When she opened the letter and read the first phrase, she felt like dying. Like drowning and burning and suffocating. Because one million different deaths wouldn’t hurt her as much as seeing Lizzie, _her Lizzie_ , that never let herself be broken in pieces too little that couldn’t be pieced together; _her Lizzie_ that woke up in a hospital bed and found Hope crying and told her everything would be okay; _her Lizzie_ that never give up finally giving up.

> **_Hope, you probably won’t read this letter because my family is dead and you walked out and I don’t think anyone cares enough to look for you and give you this but if you do read I want you to forgive me for giving up on me, on you, on life itself._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS BECAUSE I NEED VALIDATION.


	3. A mourning song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope arrives at the twins’ house. Hope and Lizzie think about the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I didn’t intend for this chapter to be so long but it didn’t feel right to cut it in half. It’s basically just angsty about what happened in the past. I cried at least three times writing it but I didn’t stop because quarantine floored my mind and I couldn’t waste it. I hope you guys like it.  
> Oh, just a heads-up: I though I would be able to wrap this fic with only 4 chapters but I think I’ll have to do it with 5 or 6. I’m so sorry but I promise that I wont take long to post it.

_Lizzie was laying on the grass of her backyard looking at the stars. She wasn’t really looking or naming constellations because she didn’t pay enough attention to any astronomy class to find anything besides the polar star in the sky. She was merely listening to the music coming from the house and thinking or not thinking about life when she heard someone. She didn’t need to look to know who was coming, though, so she closed her eyes. She could always tell when Hope was next to her. The particles of air seemed to vibrate differently to announce Hope’s presence. Lizzie’s body could notice too with all the senses when Hope was around. She could see her beauty engraved in her mind; hear her voice like the prettiest song ever made, impossible to forget; smell her scent of cinnamon and sugar, probably a lasting effect of her sweet teeth; she could guess her taste if all the sugar Hope consumed was an indication and she could feel her skin burning every time Hope as much as breathed next to her._

_"Hey, Liz. What are you thinking about?" Said Hope laying down next to her. Lizzie always told Hope untouchable truths and raw thoughts. There wasn’t pretend between them. Even when Lizzie was at her worst and she thought Hope would treat her differently just because some doctors decided that putting a name to her mental problems would help, Hope was there being exactly who Lizzie needed her to be. So, when Hope asked her what she was thinking about, she said the truth._

_"I’m thinking about you. And me."_

_"Oh." Lizzie could feel Hope blushing even with her eyes closed as if it was Lizzie herself blushing. Maybe it was._

_"I was thinking about how I can always tell if you’re next to me. That every sense of my body alert me of you." Lizzie had her eyes closed so when she felt Hope’s lips on hers the surprise almost made her heart stop. Maybe it did and Lizzie died and was born again because finally tasting Hope was like a poison so sweet that felt like candy and made you devour it until you’re dead. And you die happy. When Hope finally pulled away and Lizzie opened her eyes she could swear no star would ever be as bright as Hope was and Lizzie was so happy she was a planet orbiting her even if one day she would be consumed and turned into space dust. Nothing else seemed to matter at that moment, or at the lots of moments yet to come between them._

* * *

Hope spent the trip to Lizzie and Josie’s house thinking about the letter. She didn’t finish reading it and she didn’t want to. She felt Josie’s burning gaze but she didn’t look at her once. Being this close to the twins again made Hope feel all the weight of what she left behind. Lizzie spent the three hours trip on her laptop working. It looked like she was writing and that took Hope back to when they were teenagers and both the twins would make their parents vote on who wrote the best story. Their parents always said that it was impossible to judge because they wrote different kinds of things; Josie always with fiction mixed with some romance and it was very good, the proof of it was her name in every best-seller’s list. But Hope always thought Lizzie’s writing was better. It was sweet and funny and light like spending an afternoon with someone you loved. It was also exciting and breathtaking like kissing for the first time. Her stories always had lessons and were a metaphor for the things happening around her. When they were young and in love Lizzie used to say that she would write and Hope would illustrate with her paintings. She used to say that Lizzie would give their life the words and Hope would provide the images and together it would be love story graved on books to last forever.

"We’re here." Said Lizzie closing her laptop, the noise and her words taking Hope out of her mind. Hope got out of the car and laughed for the first time in… she didn’t know. Lizzie and Josie’s house, mansion actually, was painted blue on the right and yellow on the left.

"We couldn’t agree on a color so…" Said Josie noticing Hope’s smile. Hope looked at Lizzie and found her already watching her so she looked back to the house.

"I’m tired so I’ll leave the brides alone so you can talk about this mysterious wedding. See you girls tomorrow." Said Josie entering the house leaving Hope alone with Lizzie. Lizzie looked at her.

"Well? What happens now?”

"My lawyer will bring a peace judge and the papers for us tomorrow." Penelope would bring Hope not just the wedding papers but also the papers she needed to sign to give all her things away. Lizzie only nodded and started to enter the house. Hope followed her inside. She didn’t know if Lizzie wanted her to follow or to wait outside like a stray cat. Their silences were always filled; when they were children, with funny jokes and mischievous intents, when they were teenagers, with unshakable faith and shared dreams, but now that they are adults their silence is filled with unspoken trust and fearful longing. Hope followed Lizzie to what she supposed was her room even if Hope’s heart said that it couldn’t be. The room was devoid of decoration and impersonal. Lizzie would never live in a room like that. At least not the Lizzie Hope knew. Hope felt Lizzie watching her so she took a moment to gather the courage to look at her.

"Why did you only bring a backpack?" Hope knew Lizzie or Josie would ask her this question at some point, so she invented a good reason for it in her mind. She didn’t count, though, that her mind would turn against her and say the truth.

"It’s all I have." She said in a low voice. Lizzie sighed and nodded.

"You can use anything you need, okay? We’re gonna be married so what’s mine is also yours, right?" Hope felt tears burning her eyes at Lizzie repeating what Hope said just a few hour ago to make her feel better. When Hope though that the burning in her eyes was too much Lizzie went to the bathroom to take a shower. As soon as Lizzie closed the door Hope fell to the ground crying.

* * *

When Lizzie turned on the shower, she started crying. She wished Hope would tell her the truth, but Lizzie could feel Hope’s fear of something bad happening. It wasn’t ideal but when Lizzie made her mind of her course of action back at the hotel, she asked MG to find everything about Hope for her. That was something she wanted to do ever since she first met her at the hotel when she was going to her first convention. She never did it because she hoped that Hope would come and talk to her; would tell her about _what the hell_ made her disappear from Lizzie’s life. She wanted Hope to tell her because they always trusted each other and making a PI dig into Hope’s life felt like an intrusion. But now Lizzie had no other choice; Hope was too scared to even look at her for more than two seconds. This was not Lizzie’s Hope. Lizzie’s Hope was fearless and daring and tenacious. She always pushed Lizzie to the edge without never letting her fall. When Lizzie finished her bath, she put her bathrobe and left the bathroom. She found Hope next to the window looking outside to the stars. That made Lizzie wonder if her orbiting time was over and she had been already consumed by Hope and had no idea that she was already space dust floating around. Lizzie sent that thought away and went to the closet and dressed in her pajamas. She went back to the room and Hope was still by the window.

"I’m going to the kitchen to grab something to eat while you get yourself ready for the night. I’ll bring you something to too." Said Lizzie leaving the room.

"Why?" Asked Hope so quietly that Lizzie wouldn’t have heard if she wasn’t paying attention to Hope’s every breath.

"Well, I have no desire to see you starving to death." Said Lizzie before leaving the bedroom and going to the kitchen just to find her sister already there. Lizzie just groaned at her and proceeded to open the fridge.

"How are you feeling since you’re marrying the love of your life? I can’t relate." Lizzie ignored her sister's sarcastic words because she knew Josie was annoying her on purpose. "Not that I’m not trying to find someone, you know. It’s just that I don’t have the same luck you do to have known your person since you were 5."

"Luck?" Breathed Lizzie and regretting of it as soon as she saw the smile on Josie’s face. "I’m not talking to you about it, Josie, so fuck off."

"Angry much, huh? So, if you’re not talking to me about it, with whom are you talking, assuming that you and Hope only exchange angsty looks and you don’t have any other friends?" Said Josie managing to be sarcastic and soft at the same time.

"Wow, Jo. Exactly what I needed to hear just in front of my sandwich." Said Lizzie sharply.

"You know what I mean, Lizzie. Tell me what’s in your head besides Hope." Lizzie thought that that was a terrible phrasing because there was little in her head that wasn’t about Hope right now. Actually, only one thing in her mind wasn’t about Hope: feeding her cat. So, instead of answering her sister, she went to fill her cat’s bowls with water and cat food. When she noticed her sister still watching her with determination, she realized she wouldn’t escape this time.

"What do you want me to say, Josie? You already know how I feel about her if your _flirting game and sharp remarks_ mean something. I know she’s hiding something terrible that scares the hell out of her and this is the first time in 8 years that she asks my help. How could I say no to her?"

"She said no to you 8 years ago when you begged her to stay and she left anyway, carrying with her your destroyed heart." Everything seemed to freeze at Josie’s words. Josie had never talked about Hope leaving her. Lizzie had never told Josie about what happened when she woke up to a world where their parents were gone, Josie’s life was barely hanging on the living world and Hope was there crying more tears than when her own parents had died and Lizzie, _her body screaming in pain and her mind stinging with loss,_ reached for Hope’s hand and said that everything would be okay. Just like that, Lizzie was transported to the past, to the exact moment her life turned upside-down; to the moment she lost all hope.

 _Lizzie had been on a very unsteady sleep. Her eyes were closed and no matter how hard she tried to open them or move, she couldn’t. Eventually, she resigned herself to only listen to what was happening around her. She heard a doctor talking to the other that she was stable and that she would wake up soon, differently from her sister that was in coma; and that was the first punch to Lizzie’s heart. Then another doctor came in the room and delivered another punch to her heart: they couldn’t save the parents. Lizzie wanted to scream and cry but she could only do it inside her mind because her body wouldn’t obey her commands. After that, the doctor must have drugged her because she fell asleep. When she finally woke up, the first thing she felt before even opening her eyes was Hope’s presence. Suddenly, all the pain became lighter. It was still there but just the fact that Hope was there to share the burden helped her. She opened her eyes to see Hope crying. She was awful, red eyes and tired face, but to Lizzie she never looked prettier because Lizzie never needed her more than she needed now. So she ignored all the pain and reached for Hope’s hand. When Hope realized that Lizzie had woken up and their eyes met Lizzie said the words she was expecting Hope to say but that never came._ " _It’s going to be alright. We’re going to be okay." Lizzie’s voice was hoarse and she didn’t know how Hope understood what she said. But then Hope started to shake her head and say "It won’t. It won’t. I’m sorry but it won’t." Lizzie thought that Hope would deliver her the news that her sister had also died but the only thing she did was get up, her hand still on Lizzie’s, and kiss her forehead. "I’m leaving, Lizzie." And Hope didn’t need to explain what she meant because Lizzie understood right away. "No, please, Hope. Don’t leave me, please." Hope didn’t even look at her while she ran towards the door. Lizzie was already screaming, begging for her to stay, pleading to god and the universe and whoever was listening. She managed to get out of bed and followed Hope to the corridor still screaming. She felt arms holding her as she fought with her nails and her teeth, she kicked and punched whoever was trying to hold her, trying to keep her from going after Hope. But they were stronger than her and Hope was already gone._

Lizzie was pulled back to the present by Josie hugging her. She hadn’t noticed that she started to cry.

"I just don’t want you to be hurt again, Lizzie." Said Josie in a soft low voice.

"I never really healed so…" Said Lizzie in an even lower voice that cause Josie to hug her tighter. When they finally let go of each other, Josie wiped her sister’s tears.

"I really hope one day you will." She said kissing her cheek and leaving the kitchen. Lizzie made Hope a sandwich and went back to her room. Hope probably had finished to shower so she was going to show Hope the guest room where she would sleep. When she entered the room, though, she found Hope already sleeping. On her bed and with her clothes. Everything inside Lizzie sang a mourning song. A song for what they could’ve been if Hope hadn’t left. Lizzie turned off the lights and got comfortable on the little couch next to the window. She watched Hope until her eyes burned and her body finally gave up to sleep listening to Hope’s soft breathing and the mourning lullaby inside her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said before, validation and all that. Please don't disappoint me. Love you guys and stay healthy.


	4. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzie's letter to Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to declare.

**_Hope, you probably won’t read this letter because my family is dead and you walked out and I don’t think anyone cares enough to look for you and give you this but if you do read it I want you to forgive me for giving up on me, on you, on life itself._ **

  
When you left, my body failing and my mind undeniably broken, they took me to the psychiatric area of the hospital. They said they were worried that I would hurt myself. I wished back then that I was weak enough to hurt myself to distract me from the pain inside but I couldn’t. I had to be strong for my sister. And almost killing myself because of you wouldn’t help her. When you left and I fought to reach you my heart stopped beating. I think my body felt that you were taking it with you so it gave up for just a few seconds until the doctors brought me back. 

  
The last three months had been hell. I can only visit my sister accompanied by a doctor or a nurse. When I’m at my room I’m never left alone for more than 15 minutes. A few of my parents' friends came to visit but I couldn’t talk to any of them or to any of the kids from school that also came. They weren’t you. Eventually, they stopped coming. 

  
I’m not writing this letter to make you feel guilty. As I said in the beginning, I have little hope that you will ever read it. I’m writing so I can say goodbye. The doctor told me this morning that my sister would probably never wake up and no one was there by my side to prevent my pieces to scatter around. I lost fundamental parts of me today and to those parts I say goodbye. I thought I had lost all hope when you left me but I still had it, I realize now, I still had it because otherwise I wouldn’t keep believing my sister would wake up for three months; if I didn’t have at least a little bit of hope I wouldn’t feel out of breath when the doctor told me her odds and I wouldn’t feel yet again betrayed by you. 

  
This is also a goodbye to my innocence; lost in one car crash that destroyed more than it could ever be predicted. I also say goodbye to our sweet teenager dreams; the ones we used to whisper in the dead of night too scared that saying it louder would prevent it from happening. Goodbye to my writing and to your painting. I have a feeling that both of them only work together and being apart will end the magic and the inspiration. I already feel void and dreamless. And goodbye to you, my best friend, my first love and my first heartbreak. We share so many firsts that I never thought about the day we would share a last. A last word, a last kiss, a last punch that would finally bring us down. 

  
I want to say that I love you and that I’m sorry that I’m giving up on you. I saw the fear in your eyes when you left me. I know you way too well to know that staying wasn’t an option for you. I may not know the reason but I understand it and that should be enough for me to go after you. For Lizzie to go after Hope. But that Lizzie doesn’t exist anymore and even if she did and she decided to go after that Hope, I don’t believe she would find her because that Hope is also dead. So, I believe this letter is a goodbye note for both of us. A goodbye to a life we planned on putting in a book to last forever but forever came too soon. Fitting how both our families died and in the end we were the ones left on the ground.

  
I don’t know what I'm going to do now that I’m alone in the world. Sometimes I think about the easy way out and I wish with all my body that even at my worst, destroyed on the ground without even recognizing myself, that I was able to go through with it. I can’t, though. I blame love for it. The unconditional love my parents had for me. The constant of my sister's love since before we even knew what love was. And the slowly built and irremediable love you had for me. It was my curse and my blessing.

  
Goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> : (


	5. Sign the papers and eat the cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josie and Hope talk about Lizzie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. I'm so happy to update this fic. I really enjoy writing the angst so if you think IT IS TOO MUCH, sorry because it probably is. This chapter kind of sets up everything that happened till we got here. There is still more shit to come, of course, but this is the basic. I hope you like it.
> 
> ps: you guys will see that Hope is really scared. Please don't be mean to her bc of it. She has a good reason to be scared and I'll explain later.

_Hope felt Lizzie’s hand on hers. The three of them were sharing one big bed with Lizzie in the middle. When she felt Lizzie tightening her hold, Hope looked at her._

_“Do you promise to always be there?” Whispered Lizzie. It seemed absurd to Hope that Lizzie would ask such a question. After everything they’ve been through, Hope didn’t think anything could ever bring them apart. Hope was there when Lizzie had her first episode and even when Lizzie tried to push her away, she held even tighter to keep them together. After making Lizzie realize she was going to be there, Hope was there to almost every next episode she had. She was there holding her hand and saying silly things only a fourteen years old girl could say. She was there steadying Lizzie's hands when they would shake too much that she couldn’t drink a glass of water and even then, Hope was there holding the glass for Lizzie to drink. Lizzie was also there for Hope when Hope’s mom and dad died. When Hope’s life took an unexpected turn, Lizzie was there holding her hand when she said her last goodbye, bringing her food when Hope was killing herself of starvation. She was there when Hope turned sixteen and spent her first birthday without her family. They were always there no matter what. But Hope never got tired of repeating it to Lizzie every time she needed to hear it._

_“Always and forever, remember?” Said Hope looking at Lizzie. She only nodded and closed her eyes. Hope thought she wouldn’t say anything else so she also closed her eyes and tried to sleep. When sleep won over and she was finally drifting away she felt Lizzie kissing her shoulder and whispering something so quietly that Hope thought it was only her breathing. The same scene repeated itself again and again and again. Hope never heard what Lizzie whispered; she always waited till Hope was too sleepy to make up any sense out her words. Hope never knew what was it that Lizzie said until the first night after she left Lizzie and woke up alone in the middle of nowhere, hands cold and heart beating fast: she whispered always and forever back._

* * *

YESTERDAY

After watching Lizzie leave the bar, Hope decided it was time to go home. She was tired from the little interaction she had with Josie and her body could physically feel the weight that Lizzie’s burning eyes had on her. She lived in a small apartment next to the hotel, so she walked home. There was a firetruck on her street and for one second Hope felt the crushing fear she had felt when she came home, a fifteen years old girl excited beyond possible to tell her parents that she and Lizzie were finally a couple, only to find three firetrucks, police cars and ambulances; the noise of it all making it unreal. But it was eleven years later, it couldn’t be happening again. Hope started to run, coming to a stop right in front of her apartment. It was happening again. Yet again Hope’s whole life being destroyed by the unforgiving fire. She was stuck there, looking at the mess when she felt someone pulling her arm. She thought it was only one of the firefighters or police officers trying to get her out of the front of the building. When she looked at them, they only gave her a little box and ran away before Hope could see their face properly. Hope opened the box with a sense of dread washing over her, finding a pen drive inside.

She went back to the hotel, to the room they kept always empty because of the owner’s order. Hope never thought she would need to use that room, though. She only had it because it was a habit that the previous owner, Hope’s mom, had so she just went with it. When she got there, she started to look for the laptop she kept there for working reasons. She plugged the pen drive just as her cell phone blipped with the email sound. She opened it and found her dad’s lawyer name on it. With her heart rate increasing by the second, Hope started to read knowing that the fire, the pen drive and this email were connected. Hope read it all at once and then read it again. She couldn’t believe it. After reading it for the 10th time, se called her lawyer.

Penelope got there less than 15 minutes after Hope called. Hope not even said good afternoon before showing her the email. Penelope read it only once.

“What does it mean, Penelope?” Said Hope, her voice trembling just at the thought that she had read the email right and all the consequences it could bring.

“Well, the email is very straightforward. Your dad left a secret Will when he died that could only be open when you turned 26, which is today. By the way, congratulations.” Said Penelope sarcastically before continuing. “In this Will he nominates both you and Elizabeth Saltzman as owners of all his possessions. You know, the ones you got rid of when you turned 18.” Penelope’s last sentence made Hope’s body freeze.

“Does this mean what I think it means?”

“If you think it means that this Will cancels all previous legal acts that you made concerning your father’s possessions, yes, you’re right.” Hope fell to the ground, too weak to even stand. Penelope looked at her and then went to the snack cabinet. She grabbed her favorite snack, peanuts, and sat on the chair in front of Hope; apparently unfazed by Hope’s crumbling world. Hope, then, opened the pen drive. It had only one .pdf document with the simple message:

YOU HAVE ONE WEEK TO SOLVE IT

OR ELSE YOUR LITTLE "LIZ" WILL HAVE TO BURY ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER

She read it only once before ripping the pen drive from the laptop and throwing it at the wall. She looked at Penelope. The _bitch_ was playing animal crossing on her switch and eating peanuts as if she had no worries in life. Maybe she didn’t, thought Hope, thinking about how Penelope never really asked her anything personal.

“What do I do to make all my previous decisions legal again?” Hope watched as Penelope put the phone in her pocket and finished eating.

“You could talk to the co-owner, miss Elizabeth Saltzman, and ask her to sign her ownership away to you if it wasn’t for the extra clause your father added saying that the both could only act upon it on the condition of wedlock.”

“What does that even mean?” Asked Hope, even when her heart screamed the meaning to her. What followed her question was something Hope had never seen: Penelope laughing.

“Well, Hope, it means that if you want to make anything legal you have to marry miss Saltzman.”

Everything seemed unreal; out of a fucking Harlequin book. Those with the impossible plots and surprise babies. Hope almost expected to find an abandoned baby by her door.

“Why would my dad do that?”

“Well, we can’t ask him, can we?” _Bitch_ thought Hope. Bitch for laughing at Hope’s terrible luck and bitch for ignoring Hope’s pain at her father’s death. “There is, though, a way to avoid marriage.” That got Hope’s attention.

“What? How?”

“If you kill the other person, you get to be the only owner.” Said Penelope as if she wasn’t talking about killing someone. That gave Hope an idea.

“Does it work the other way? If I die, Lizzie becomes the only owner?” Penelope only faltered for one second before speaking.

“Yes. Should I look for another job?” Hope thought about it. If she killed herself, everything would go to Lizzie. So would Hope’s enemy. Just like her father’s enemy had moved to Hope when he died. The last thing she wanted was for Lizzie to get into this mess. Marriage would have to do.

“No. Get the papers of the marriage ready, find a peace judge and write the contract for me and Lizzie to sign to make all my previous decisions legal again and bring it to the address I’ll text you.” Said Hope bracing herself to go talk to Lizzie. Penelope nodded and went to the snack cabinet for more peanuts. When she was leaving, she stopped by the door and Hope wondered if she was going to ask something for the time. Apparently, not, because she only said things would be ready by tomorrow and left.

* * *

Hope woke up in the middle of the night plagued by nightmares. She looked around, taking in the new place. She heard a soft snoring next to her bed and when she looked and saw Lizzie there, the whole mess she was into washed over her body. She looked at the sandwich Lizzie said she would bring on the nightstand just now noticing how hungry she was. She ate it in three bites and she was still hungry. Carefully not to wake Lizzie up, she got out of bed and out of the room. She wandered around until she found the kitchen where she proceeded to make another sandwich. And then another. When she was about to go back to the room, she felt something falling from her clothes. She looked at the ground to find Lizzie’s letter, _Lizzie’s Suicide Letter_. With trembling hands, she took the letter and started to unfold it. She didn’t want to read it but her brain hated her enough to make her suffer on purpose.

When she finished the letter, she was sobbing on the ground. She didn’t even notice someone there trying to pick her up; all her efforts on crying as silently as she could so Lizzie wouldn’t hear. She didn’t want to make Lizzie suffer anymore than she had to. She heard Josie saying something but couldn’t make any sense out of it. Hours seemed to pass until Hope’s despair finally subsided.

“I see you read the letter.” Said Josie and Hope could only nod in confirmation. “You know, Hope, I hated you.” At this, Hope nodded again because she also hated herself. “When I woke up and saw all the mess that was left behind, I hated you for not being there when I spent almost all of my teenager’s nights listening to you promising Lizzie _Always and Forever_ when you guys thought I wasn’t listening.” Josie paused as if thinking of what to say next. “She never told me what happened on the day you left. I remember waking up from my coma and not seeing anyone in the room with me. Not mom and dad. Not you and Lizzie. I remember screaming until one of the doctors came and drugged me. When I woke up again, no one I knew was there. I mean- Lizzie was there but I couldn’t put my finger on why she looked so different to me. She told me about mom and dad and I thought that she was different because of grief. When the nurse said it was time for her to go, I had this feeling that it wasn’t for my wellbeing that Lizzie had to go. I wondered that she probably had another episode. It is a bit of a haze, that day, but I remember quite clearly the moment Lizzie kissed me goodbye and I asked her to send you in to see me. You see, I was so used to you and Lizzie that I thought that the only reason that Lizzie was alone was because there was some kind of rule for having only one visitor at a time. When I asked her that, though, I understood from where that feeling I had when I first saw her had come. She only told me “She left, Jo” and she didn’t need to say one more word because I understood. That was when I started hating you.” Josie sopped talking to breath deeply, probably to calm herself from the hurting memories. Hope couldn’t even look her in the eyes. Not that it was a surprise. Hope stopped looking people in the eyes a long time ago. 

“I kept hating you when I found out that Lizzie had a big meltdown on the day you left that caused her heart to stop beating. Cardiac Arrest is what they called.” Hope inhaled deeply at that, remembering the part of the letter where Lizzie said she only survived because the doctors brought her back. “After that, they kept her on psychological drugs and 24 hours watch because they were afraid that she would try to hurt herself. She spent the next three months like that.”

“Please, Josie, stop. I don’t want to listen. I can’t-” Hope was already broken and she didn’t need Josie to scatter her pieces in the wind. Not to mention a coward. She was that too.

“You can and you will listen, Hope.” Said Josie, an angry tone to her voice, some of the hate evident by the lack of the flirting and jokes she would throw at Hope when they were in public. “You weren’t the one to suffer all her pains so the least you can do is listen. At least, that was what I thought till the day I first saw you after the accident. It was really unfortunate that the book convention would happen at you hotel, but I really wanted to see you. I wanted to scream at you for hurting my sister, for hurting me because you were also my friend. I wanted to beat you up and destroy everything you had. I was ready to do just that. Then I set eyes on you and realized that there was no point in doing any of that. You were already dead.” Hope thought about that day; about seeing the twins for the first time after leaving them. Josie was right: Hope was a dead woman walking.

“That was the first time I understood what my sister said in the letter about knowing you were also in pain. It was your pain that made me stop hating you. You had made Lizzie miserable but at least you were as miserable as her.” Josie then took her hand. “I don’t know why you left and part of me will always resent you for doing it but I forgive you.” It was too much. Hope couldn’t handle her kindness. She wished Josie went back to flirting or better, to hating her.

“No, Josie. You can’t forgive me.” Josie couldn’t. Lizzie couldn’t. They were supposed to hate Hope. It would be easier for when Hope left again. “I don’t want to hurt you again.”

“So don’t, Hope.” That was Josie’s last word before leaving the kitchen. It was almost poetic the amount of times Hope thought about her heart breaking and how it was never broken enough that couldn’t use a little more breaking.

* * *

When Lizzie woke up and didn’t saw Hope laying on her bed, she thought that the last day only happened in her mind. It wouldn’t be the first time. She looked around searching for evidence that it was real. The backpack on the corner of the room wasn’t evidence enough. In Lizzie’s worst moments, her mind would play tricks at her by creating proofs that didn’t exist. She knew what she had to do in order to know if it was real. She got up and walked all the way to Josie’s bedroom. She didn’t knock. She found Josie already up with her laptop on her lap.

“Hey, Lizzie. What’s up?” Said her softly closing the laptop and tapping the bed fot Lizzie to go sit next to her, what Lizzie did hesitantly.

“About yesterday…” _was it real?_ And she didn’t need to finish because Josie knew what she needed.

“About which part? Hope asking you to marry her or your cat not coming to greet you when you got here?” Lizzie was happy Josie made a joke. Lizzie didn't need Josie to worry about her having an episode.

“Actually, the cat part.”

“I told you a dog would be better.” Said Josie looking at Lizzie with understanding before Lizzie went back to her room. She took a shower and went to the kitchen. She found Hope there; glassy eyes looking at nowhere.

“Good morning, Hope.” It killed Lizzie how miserable Hope was.

“Penelope’s already here.”

“What? Who’s Penelope?”

“My lawyer.” At Hope’s words the weight of it all fell on Lizzie’s shoulders.

“Oh.”

“If you don’t want-” Hope started.

“I told you I would.”

“But if you-”

“I will.” Said Lizzie and Hope only nodded. “You said your lawyer is here. Where?”

“Outside. Waiting.”

“Well, let’s not make her wait anymore.”

They walked to the front door where a beautiful brunette and an old man were waiting. Lizzie asked them to come in and they went to the living room. Josie, seeming to feel all the tension in the air, joined them.

“Well, it’s not really that complicated.” Started the brunette, Hope’s lawyer. “He’s going to ask you if you’re doing this on your own will and if so, you’ll sign the papers and we can eat the cake.” Lizzie disliked her immediately. She also liked her immediately. Penelope was just like Lizzie: she liked to hide behind bitchness. Lizzie was a bitch to everyone but Josie. And Hope.

“No cake for you, miss…” Said Josie taking the words from Lizzie’s mouth.

“Penelope Park. Maybe there’s _something else_ to eat, then.” Said Penelope _openly flirting_ with her sister. Ew. She decided to ignore _that_.

“Easy as that, huh?” She asked looking at Hope. Hope, though, was looking at the ground. How Lizzie hated the sight of self-hatred on Hope.

“Easy as that.” Said Penelope. Lizzie nodded. The old man said some words about that legal binding of the marriage and then asked both of them for the rings. At that, Hope’s eyes widened and Lizzie noticed how she hadn’t thought about rings.

After all these years, Lizzie had given up on marriage. No one would ever make her feel like Hope did. The constant reminder of that on her neck. The judge was looking at them expectantly so Lizzie took out her necklace.

“I have a ring.”

* * *

“I have a ring.” That made Hope look at Lizzie, what she was avoiding doing, too afraid that looking at her would make Hope run away. She gasped at the sight of the ring.

“How did you- Where did you-”

“Your dad gave it to me when I was thirteen. After I tried to push you away.” Said Lizzie quietly. Hope looked at the ring. She always loved it. It was a family heirloom and one day Hope would give it to her daughter; at least that was what her younger self thought. Her father had told her that eventually she would get it but when the fire happened, everything was lost.

The judge, apparently satisfied that someone brought a ring, continued his rambling. He, then, asked if they were doing it of free will, to what both Lizzie and Hope said yes. He asked Lizzie to put the ring on Hope. Lizzie stood up from where she was seated and walked to Hope, kneeling in front of her. She, then, took her hand and put the ring on her finger whispering the words Hope used to hear when she dreamed about this day; when she was young and she still dreamed.

“Always and Forever.” It was too much. Hope couldn’t think of something more painful than having to watch the person she loved the most loving her and knowing that she would hurt her soon. The judge asked them to sign their names and that was it. They were married. Congratulations.

“You can go now.” Said Penelope to the men as soon as he finished. He looked at her annoyed but he left.

As soon as he left Hope started to sob, to tremble. The other girls looked at her; Lizzie with love in her eyes, Josie with worry and Penelope with masked concern. The first, though, was the look she was running from, so she stood up and ran. The last thing she heard was Penelope’s “Maybe a drink instead of the cake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, leave comments with questions, opinions or sugestions. I always post these chapters at night and go to sleep and it's amazing to wake up to your comments.
> 
> I hope everyone is safe and healthy.


	6. Let me take care of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big finale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, guys. It’s the end. I’m so so sad that this is the last chapter but I'm also proud. I will miss this Lizzie and this Hope so much. I tried to give my best this chapter so don’t hate me please.  
> I have no words to express how glad I am for your comments on the others chapters. Thank you for the support. I hope you’ll read the next little thing I’m working on.

_When Hope was informed of the car accident, she ran to the hospital desperately. She had already lost her family three years ago. She couldn’t lose them too. When she got there, she was informed of Alaric’s and Caroline's death. The first thing she thought was how Lizzie and Josie would feel. Hope knew how losing her parents changed her. Then the doctor told her about Josie and everything was so close to break. She couldn’t build up the courage to ask them about her. Fortunately, the doctor started talking about her. She was stable, still sleeping, Hope should wait outside. Hope looked at him and then took some money out of her pocket._

_“No, I shouldn’t.” The doctor looked at her and took the money._

_“Her room is 1414.” So Hope ran. Every second that passed making everything heavier. She came to a stop by the door and took a deep breath to calm herself. She opened; her eyes immediately finding Liz laying on the bed. She was hurt, but not badly. Hope walked slowly to her bed and her shaking hands took Lizzie’s cold ones. That’s when she heard a noise just behind her. She looked at the source of the noise to find a man in a suit._

_“Who are you? What are you doing here?”_

_“Hello, Hope. I’ve been waiting for years to finally meet you.” His voice caused Hope’s whole body to be alert. He wasn’t a good person. It caused Hope to instinctively put herself in front of Lizzie and when he noticed he laughed. “You don’t need to worry about your little lover. I have no interest in killing her too.” His last word accompanied by his smile made Hope’s world spin._

_“What do you mean by too?”_

_“Well, let’s see.” He started listing his victims with his fingers. “There’s daddy Klaus, your mommy and your uncle. That was actually pretty easy and fast. When they talk about the purifying fire, they have no idea how freeing it is to clean the world from trashy people using it.” Hope felt burning rage inside her at his words. “Oh, no need to be all worked up about it. I didn’t even finish my list. There’s also auntie Rebekah.” Hope’s eyes widened and her heart stopped. She couldn’t even speak. “Oh, damn. I just ruined the surprise. You were supposed to go home and find her body. That’s unfortunate.” He said pouting. “Ignoring my lack of manners for spoiling your birthday surprise, there’s also the Saltzmans. Ah, the car crash. One of my favorites. I actually have it recorded so you can watch it later in slow motion. The moment when momma Caroline is thrown outside is film-making at it’s peak.” He moved closer to the bed and Hope moved to stay between him and Lizzie._

_“Why would you do all of this?”_

_“Does it really matter? It’s already done anyway. But I see you have a curious mind and I approve of it, so I’ll tell you why. It’s pretty simple: I don’t like your dad. Oh, sorry for the grammar. Since he’s dead I should’ve said I didn’t like your dad.” Hope tried to be strong, to say something, to scream because she knew he was dangerous and she had to take him away from Lizzie but nothing came. She was too shocked to even breath, let alone speak. “Now let’s get to business, shall we? Like I said before, I don’t want to hurt poor baby Saltzman. With her sister in coma; let’s be real, I don’t think she’s waking up; Lizzie will probably be the last Saltzman. You see, I have a soft heart for The Last Ones Standing. I am the last one from my family, because I killed them of course, but I’m the last one nonetheless and this makes me emotional. That’s why I’m not killing you. You’re welcome, by the way. So, the business. I tend to get distracted. My doctor says I have a very active mind but you don’t want to know about it.” He went back to the corner of the room where he was before Hope noticed him and opened a briefcase. Hope saw him taking some papers out of it. He walked towards Hope again and gave her the papers. “You just have to sign it.”_

_Hope managed to get enough courage to ask “Why?”_

_“So you can give everything that you inherited from your daddy to me. You’re turning eighteen today so you’re finally able to sign it all off. And before you ask me something dumb that it will probably get me angry like_ why would I do that _? let me remind you that I made you and little Liz orphans. If that’s not enough to make you comply sweetly, I can always find creative ways to make you. Look at how peaceful you’re your ex-girlfriend looks if you need inspiration.” He took Hope by the arm and made her sit in the chair. Then he gave her a pen. “And no need to scream. No one will open the door to help you.” Hope was powerless. She didn’t have strength to do anything. He was stronger than her and bigger than her. He was responsible for everything. Hope was nothing. She took the pen and signed her name in all the pages he indicated._

_“Ah, you can keep your mother’s hotel. Consider it an act of good faith. I wouldn’t want you to live in the streets. It would make people suspect. And before you try anything in the future, remember that sweet Liz doesn’t need to suffer anymore because of you. I’m doing her a favor by getting the kinds of you away from her. I’ll let you say goodbye because I’m a kind soul, but I want you away from her by the end of the day. And no mention of our little deal.” He took the papers and the briefcase and walked to the door. “I’m disappointed. The way your dad used to talk about you… He made you look so strong. In the end you were just a weakling. Why am I not surprised?” And he left. It would be the last time Hope would ever see him. Hope stared at the nothingness for so long that she lost time. She entered the nothingness; became it. She looked at Liz and broke down crying remembering all the times she had promised to always be there. She was a weakling and a liar and she was about to break Liz’s heart. She felt Liz waking up and she looked at her. When their eyes met, Hope breath caught on her throat. She wished she was never able to breath again; she wished to die because she was weak and she didn’t have the courage to do was needed._

_“Its going to be alright. We’re going to be okay.” Said Liz. There she was being strong and hopeful just for Hope to break her._

_“It won’t. It won’t. I’m sorry but it won’t.” Hope’s voice was low and it was painful to hear her voice being used to hurt whom she loved the most. “I’m leaving, Lizzie.” And she didn’t need to say anything else. She watched as understanding washed over her. Hope stood up and ran to the door; her whole body screaming in pain and her mind cursing her with words and feelings and images. While she ran, she could hear Liz begging her to stay; begging her not to do what Liz feared the most: being abandoned. That’s exactly what Hope did._

* * *

Hope ran as if the devil was following her. She became pretty good at it since she ran away for the first time when she was eighteen. It wasn’t even her house, but she had learned that the place didn’t matter when all she was thinking about was hide. She climbed the stairs and ran blindly to one of the rooms. She closed the door and let herself fall, letting the pain and the heartbreak and the hate sink in. She embraced them and became one with them. She crumbled thinking about Lizzie. She cried until sleep claimed her. The last thought she had was that she wished something more permanent claimed her too.

* * *

Lizzie watched as Hope ran away. She wanted to go after her, but she had things to do. She took her phone and called MG.

“Where are you?”

“Outside.”

“Then get in or do I have to go get your ass?” Lizzie waited and one minute later MG rushed through the door. “Sit down.” She said and then looked at Penelope. “Okay, bitch, time to talk. Why do Hope needed me to marry her?” Penelope didn’t even flinch.

“There’s a Will her father left. It could only be open on her birthday, that was yesterday.” Lizzie interrupted her.

“I know when her birthday is.” She only gained a look over from Penelope.

“In the Will he left all his possessions to the both of you. Any decision about those possessions could only be made under the condition of wedlock.”

“If Klaus wasn’t dead I would kill him myself. So, Hope married me so she could have everything back? At least that’s what the contract you made said.” Lizzie watched surprise take over Penelope for one second before she could hide it.

“How do you know?”

“MG had someone hacking your computer and downloading it. He texted me what was on it. What I want to know is why she said she would die if I didn’t marry her?”

“Well, she did ask me if one of the parts dying annulled the Will and I said yes.” Lizzie’s body freezed at thought of Hope thinking about death. She masked her fear like she had learned through the years.

“Then why didn’t she kill herself? It’s not like she loves to be alive.” Penelope watched her closely, trying to lay down her wall. Unfortunately for her, Lizzie had a lot of them.

“I don’t know. I just know that she needed to be the owner again to make legal all of her previous decisions.”

“And what are those?”

“She signed it all away the day she turned eighteen. If I would guess I’d say she was being threatened.” Lizzie’s insides were burning but her outside was freezing. She rolled her eyes.

“Well, one doesn’t need to be a genius to find that out. Thank you for not helping at all. Josie, escort our visitor to one of the guest rooms.” Josie, who had seen Lizzie bluffing and destroying people a lot in these eight years, knew that Lizzie would explain everything to her later, so she just nodded and left the room with Penelope in tow. When Penelope was leaving, Lizzie could swear she called Lizzie a bitch. As soon as they left, she turned her attention to MG.

“Find out who and how. Call phoenix boy and the pig. Ask them to dig till they find all the skeletons in the closet. In two days, I want the three of you here with answers to all my questions.”

“But…” He tried to say but Lizzie only raised one eyebrow. He nodded and left. As soon as he did it, Lizzie fell on the couch breathing hard. Logically, she knew Hope had a good reason to be afraid but finally digging into it made Lizzie tremble with fear of what she would find. She took her time to calm herself before going after Hope. When she was ready, she stood up and started looking. She found her sleeping in Lizzie’s memories room. It was fitting, Lizzie thought. Hope was more a memory than anything else. Everything she knew about Hope was a memory that could be faded and modified after all these years. Lizzie sat next to her, brushing Hope’s hair off her face. She was still as beautiful as Lizzie remembered. Lizzie’s finger traced Hopes features with wonder. How could someone love another person so much? She laid next to her and closed her eyes. She let herself fall asleep breathing Hope, after all it was the only air she ever needed.

* * *

Hope woke up to Lizzie’s face, so beautiful and peaceful. Hope raised her hand to touch her, but she recoiled it just before she could lay a finger on her. She wasn’t worthy. She stood up and just before she left the room, she noticed familiar things around her. It was like being pulled back to the past, to Lizzie’s old bedroom. It was painted blue with little stars that Hope knew Lizzie drew. They were irregular and poorly made. Hope used to make fun of Lizzie for not being able to draw and Lizzie used to answer that her drawing covered little hearts so she could dot the ‘i’ in Mikaelson with it and that was enough as long as she was concerned. Hope would laugh and they would kiss. Another thing caught Hope’s attention: a painting hung in the wall. It was Hope’s painting. She came closer to it and traced the HM in the corner of the painting. Hope remembered the day she painted this. She was thirteen and so scared after Caroline took Lizzie away to get help. It had been already three weeks and Lizzie hadn’t called her once. Hope knew Lizzie was pushing her away because she was scared. As she painted, she cried and let her feelings paint for her. When she finished the painting, she realized how tragic it seemed. _Apparently, you forget how to paint without me. You can say I’m your inspiration_ Hope heard Lizzie say and turned around to find her there. Hope couldn’t believe so she ran and hugged her; the need to feel her close too strong to be denied. As she kept Lizzie locked in her arms, she heard her whispering _always and forever._ Hope looked away from the painting just to find Lizzie’s old friendship bracelet. Hope had one just like that in her backpack; a little thing from her past she wasn’t able to let go. She looked around, her eyes finding birthday gifts, drawing, stuffed animals, clothes and games. It was a museum of Hope and Lizzie’s life, Hope realized. Lizzie had kept it all. She looked at Lizzie and realized she was already awake and looking at her.

“I was never able to move on.” She said quietly.

“Oh, Lizzie. I-”

“I have something for you.”

“What?” Hope couldn’t believe Lizzie still wanted to give Hope something. She couldn’t understand how Lizzie was so much that she could give and give and always have more to give. She watched as Lizzie went to pick up her friendship bracelet and a little box besides it.

“I remember that we used to put a new charm in both our bracelets every time something special happened.” Lizzie started to point each charm. “This little star is for our first kiss under the night sky. The airplane for the first time we traveled without mom and dad, even if it was for spelling bee. There’s the little heart with _always and forever_ written inside for when I came back for you after the episode. There’s the crown because even though they didn’t crown us queens in the high school ball, we bought us crowns. I had bought us a new charm for your eighteenth birthday but I was never able to give you.” Lizzie gave her the little box. With shaking hands, Hope opened and found two little charms inside. Two little houses. “Josie had been accepted in Yale because she was a nerd, of course, and we had been accepted in Columbia. Remember our plans to rent an apartment and live the big city dream? Oh god, we were so innocent.” Lizzie’s voice was so soft. Hope closed her eyes. The last thing she needed was to cry again. She felt Lizzie’s arms wrapping her.

“Please, stop loving me.” Said Hope weakly.

“Forget about it. I had eight years for it and instead I built a museum to remember you. Remember us.” Said Lizzie pointing at the room.

“I’m trying to protect you, Liz.”

“I know, but now is my time to protect you. Let me, please.” Hope, who had kept her eyes closed only nodded. She was too tired of fighting, of denying love when it was the only thing she always wanted. She nodded because Lizzie was hugging her and that made her forget of all the problems, even if for only one second. One second was already more than she expected. “Hope, look at me.” When Hope looked at Lizzie, she embraced all the love that she was willing to give. “Let me take care of you.” And Hope nodded again. Her mistake, or the only good decision she ever made, was to let Lizzie back into her life. She should’ve known that she wouldn’t be able to escape. Lizzie took her by the hand and guided her to her bedroom. There she undressed Hope, familiarity as if she had been doing this forever. She was, if Hope thought about it. She spent her whole life undressing Hope’s fears and insecurities, Hope’s desires and expectations; she spent her whole life laying Hope bare right in front of her. Undressing her body was just a little part of it. She took her to the bathtub and as Lizzie bathed her, as she washed her hair and covered her body with soap that smelled like the past, Hope felt Lizzie washing away all the self-hate. Hope deserved this. She deserved to be loved like this and to give love like this too. It wasn’t her fault, she always knew this logically, but as Lizzie washed her, Hope also understood that emotionally. She wanted this, to be with Lizzie. Hope kept her eyes shut as Lizzie finished the bath and she took a towel and started to dry Hope’s body with it. She kept her eyes closed as Lizzie took her to the bed and started to dress her. Hope only opened her eyes when Lizzie finished dressing her and kissed her forehead. _A goodbye kiss_ , Hope thought. A goodbye kiss to finally get rid of all of Hope’s insecurities. She opened her eyes and laughed. She laughed out loud because Liz, the wonderful woman, had just dressed her with a unicorn pajama. Lizzie smiled at her and then she turned Hope around so she could brush her hair. Hope had forgotten the feeling of being touched. She enjoyed Lizzie touching her. After she finished with her hair, Liz turned on the TV and laid on the bed next to Hope. Hope got comfortable inside Lizzie’s arms and laughed yet again at Lizzie making her watch Lord of the Rings for the zillionth time. Just before pressing play, Liz whispered to Hope.

“Don’t worry. I’m already making things right.” And Hope believed her. Hope always believed in Lizzie. This time wouldn’t be different. They spent the rest of the day watching TV and eating on the bed.

* * *

The last two days had been heaven on earth. Hope was lighter and Lizzie loved to look at her being happy again. Sometimes she would catch Hope looking worried, but all Lizzie had to do was hold her and tell her everything would be okay.

She heard a knocking on her office’s door. She told them to enter. She put on her bitch face and watched them coming in.

“MG, before we start this meeting go break down my sister’s bedroom door and drag hers and Penelope’s asses down here.” Lizzie noticed that Penelope and Josie were having sex. The bitch was always with that smug smile and Lizzie was almost punching her face. Hope’s sweet little hand on hers every time she had the urge was the only thing preventing her from it. Lizzie watched MG leaving and then turned her attention to the other two. They were avoiding her eyes. Lizzie rolled her eyes. She had saved both their useless lives and she was the one they were afraid of? Try to make it make sense. MG, Josie and Penelope didn’t take long to get there.

“Well, spill it. That’s why I pay you for.” She said looking at the three of them. Since no one started to talk, Lizzie had to act like a teacher and start calling names. “Phoenix boy, you first.” She watched as Landon flinched but started talking.

“I used the pen drive MG found with the .pdf document that threatened your life. I used a program to pinpoint where it was altered for the last time and when I found out the place, I texted Raf so he would go there investigate.” Lizzie looked at Raf.

“After Landon texted me, I talked to the other journalists. I found out that the owner possessed properties that belonged to at least four different families. I asked them why the police never went looking and they said that he was too rich to be caught. It was when I left to MG.” Lizzie looked at MG and raised one eyebrow.

“I got it done.” Lizzie understood what he had meant.

“Did you make sure every single family got their belongings back?”

“Yes.” Lizzie nodded.

“Landon, did you get rid of every single virtual evidence of it?” Landon nodded. “Rafael, I want you to write something sensationalistic to make everyone know about his crimes, make sure to leave your opinion that finally one of his victims killed him. Make people hate him.”

“Why?”

“I would believe that you knew better than me how being the one to mold the story gives you power.” Rafael only nodded. “Penelope, I want you to stop kissing my sister’s body-” Lizzie only paused for a moment for Josie’s embarrassed _Lizzie_ “for a couple of hours to write a contract to make Hope the only holder of her things again. I know you already made one, but since we’re not getting divorced, you’ll have to change some things.”

“You’re not? I thought Hope would run the first opportunity she had.” Lizzie felt as MG, Landon and Rafael looked at Lizzie waiting for her to turn Penelope into an ice statue and then break her in little pieces. Lizzie raised one eyebrow.

“And I thought Josie would have too. I think they have a type.” And Penelope smiled at her smugly and for the first time Lizzie didn’t want to punch it out of her face. “You, boys, can go. There’s money in your accounts for you to buy your toys or whatever. Now disappear. By the back door because I don’t want you disturbing my wife’s peace.” They didn’t wait for another warning and left the room.

“Is it over?” Josie asked. Lizzie nodded. She smiled and then hugged Lizzie. “Do you think everything will be okay now?” Lizzie looked outside at Hope sitting in the grass and with her eyes closed.

“I think everything will be more than okay. I think it'll be perfect.” She said, a big smile brighting her face. She left the office and went to Hope.

“I understand what you said.” Said Hope before Lizzie even get close to her. Lizzie sat next to her.

“What did I say? I do say a lot of things.” Lizzie asked.

“That night of our first kiss. You said that every sense of your body alerted you of me. I understand it because every sense of mine also alert me of you.” Lizzie looked at Hope’s closed eyes. She smirked and then did what Hope had done all those years ago: she kissed her. It was a light kiss; the first after everything. After she broke the kiss, Hope looked at her.

“What was the meeting you just had about?”

“All of you father’s possessions are yours again because of the Will and the paper that I will sign giving my part to you.”

“But-” Lizzie interrupted her

“Also, the late owner that tried to threaten you again also showed up dead. Apparently, his house was burned to the ground because of a gas leak. All the evidence of anything that could indicate criminal arson was cleaned. It looks like just before he died, he signed all his things away to the previous owners.”

* * *

Hope listened to Lizzie with wonder. That was her Lizzie. Clever, cunning and a murderer, apparently. Hope laughed. “Did you kill him?” She felt years of weight being suddenly lifted from her shoulders.

“Of course not. It was a gas leak.” She said in that sarcastic slow way that Hope loved. Hope laughed again.

“How?”

“It’s not the first time, really.” Hope’s eyes widened at Lizzie’s statement.

“What do you mean?”

“You probably remember Landon Kirby’s death.” Hope gasped.

“So you really killed him?” She asked making Lizzie laugh.

“Or course not. It was a fake suicide, you know. He was a pretty good writer, but his books were never a hit. He did have some fans. One of them started to threaten his life and almost killed him once. He asked my help and since he was my responsibility anyway, I made him die to the world. Of course that being me I made him write two more books for the series and never finish the last. His books became a hit after his death. People love things left incomplete.” Said Lizzie shaking her head and Hope only smiled at the amazing wife she had. “Anyway, I already had experience with it. MG is my hitman. He gets things done. Landon became my hacker. You have no idea how publishing and editing life require hacking. Rafael was the one to find the other victims.”

“Rafael, like in Rafael Waithe that writes horrible things about you all the time? The responsible for the infame _Does Elizabeth Saltzman really have a torture kink?”_

“I like to control the narrative.” Lizzie said smiling and that smug shy smile was what Hope needed to see for the rest of her life.

“Oh, Liz, I love you so much.” Hope said without realizing. When she did, though, she looked at Lizzie that was smiling the brightest smile Hope had ever seen. She was wrong before. This was the smile she wanted to see forever.

“I love you too. Not that it’s news to you. I am a total soft for your ass.” Lizzie said with a slight blush and a small smile. Maybe that was the smile Hope wanted forever. Hope was not worried. She had the rest of her life, her always and forever, to catalogue Lizzie’s smile. That seemed a very good life to her. The best she could ever have. She smiled back at Lizzie.

“Good that you love me because we really need to talk about changing that bad-tempered cat of yours for a dog.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a HAPPY ending. It was always meant to be one. PLEASE leave comments in this one bc it's the end and I can't take not knowing if you liked or hated or want to punch my virtual face.
> 
> ps: I get that some of you wouldn't like my preference for not naming Hope's enemy. I thought a lot about that but I got to the conclusion that the story wasn't about him so I had the freedom of creating one. Sometimes people are just bad like he was. And sometimes they are good as Lizzie and Hope.  
> I hope you hated him as much as I did.

**Author's Note:**

> Your thoughts?


End file.
